Flooding on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway: FG directs more palliatives by contractor

The Federal Government has directed the contractor handling the flooded portion of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to provide more palliatives to ameliorate the difficulties caused to motorists by the development.

This is as the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, explained that the flooding was caused by structures built on water channels by some companies along the road.

The explanation was given by the minister in a statement issued on Friday by his Special Adviser (Communications), Mr Hakeem Bello and made available to Saturday Tribune.

Mostly affected by the flooding was the portion of the road opposite the Mountain Top University (MFM) in Ogun State where construction is currently ongoing.

The minister said the structures blocking the channels included those built by Hi-Impact Hotel and Parks and Buildwell Plants and Equipment Company as well as various warehouses operating along the area.

He said the flooding at the portion became severe because the various structures built along the road had blocked the water channels through which runoffs were to flow away from the road, adding that the water retention spot of the whole area had been blocked off by building on the wet zones.

Fashola, in the statement, further said, “these locations which are now built up, were the drainage basins where surface runoff was directed when the road was built about 40 years ago.”

“The flooding has also been accentuated by the fact that some of the communities in the area discharge their runoffs to the road where drains are yet to be provided adding that the rains have also been unusually heavy in the past few days, thereby undermining the palliative efforts recently done by the contractor.”

He therefore directed the contractor handling the road to carry out more palliative works to reduce the effect of the flooding, while appealing for patience and understanding among motorists and other road users  as rehabilitation and reconstruction work on the expressway progresses.